Remove shortcut from all users start menu folder

[Briandr]

$folder = StringLeft(@StartMenuDir,StringInStr(@StartMenuDir,"\",0,-1))
       $search = FileFindFirstFile($folder&"*")
       While 1
       $StartMenuSearch = FileFindNextFile($search)
       If @error Then ExitLoop
       If FileExists($folder&$StartMenuSearch&"\programs\pcsetup\Printer*.lnk") Then
       FileDelete($folder&$StartMenuSearch&"\programs\pcsetup\Printer*.lnk")
       EndIf
       WEnd
       FileClose($search)

Hi,

I need to search for a shortcut that would be under each user profile.Can someone tell me if this looks right ? It was based upon a solution to someone's else problem with my tweaks.

Thanks

[alien4u]

From the help file:
@StartMenuCommonDir

Look like this is the StartMenu for all users in Windows 7 will be to this path:
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\

Happy Coding.

Kind Regards
Alien.

[Briandr]

Maybe someone will jump in here, but I thought @StartMenuCommonDir was not working correctly. Maybe I am thinking of something else, but I will try your suggestion. Thanks.

[BrewManNH]

Just curious, do you actually need to see if it exists before trying to delete it? You could just run a DEL console command if you know the name of the file you're looking for and just delete every copy it finds.

Run(@ComSpec & " /c DEL c:\users\printer*.lnk /s", "", @SW_HIDE)

 

[Briandr]

I don't need to see if it exists (would not hurt I guess). I just need to make sure the shortcut gets removed from all users start menu.

[alien4u]

Hi again @Briandr

If you remove a shortcut from C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs this shortcut will be removed for all users in the system.

Kind Regards
Alien.

[Briandr]

but when I look at the shortcut properties it points back to something like this:

C:\Users\bob\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Maintenance

If I search the users folder I see 7 of instances of the shortcut. So this is being copied as part of the roaming user profile

But deleting it off the start menu won't delete each instance, only for the 1 user logged in

 

 

[alien4u]

The  you need to read all users here: C:\Users\
Then delete each user shortcut, the problem you will probably face with this is that Windows 7 for example by default don't allow you to access other users directory inside C:\Users so you will need to find a solution to deal with that.

Kind Regards
Alien.

[AutoBert]

25 minutes ago, alien4u said:

Hi again @Briandr

If you remove a shortcut from C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs this shortcut will be removed for all users in the system.

Kind Regards
Alien.

Only if no user have the link in his own startmenu. It can also happen that linkname is different from user to user.

[Briandr]

The link name is the same user to use and each individual has this in their own start menu. As far as permissions problems I thought that might be fixed by using the #RequireAdmin at top of the script.

[alien4u]

I'm afraid that maybe this is not going to save you from that because even if you have admins right you can't access other users folders by default in Windows 7 you probably need to change permissions, do your tasks and then restore previous permissions again.

Anyways let us know if you make it work with #RequireAdmin because maybe this do everything that I'm thinking in a different way.

Kind Regards
Alien.

[Briandr]

Before I thought I just wanted the shortcut removed. Now I am thinking just delete the whole folder. If that is removed the shortcuts should be as well, right? Think back to my original post if that guy could remove a shortcut off the desktop why can't it be tweaked to what I want? And with our image admin can see other users profiles. I am mobile but I will include a link to what I found when I am out of a car

[Briandr]

Hi, 

In reply back to BrewManNH your command worked in two separates test. The lnk file I am looking to delete for whatever reason its name starts like 9. Click Me.lnk. Not sure who came up with the crazy name, but perhaps I need to do something like this:

Run(@ComSpec & " /c DEL c:\users\9.*.lnk /s", "", @SW_HIDE)

I updated the posting and the command works fine outside autoit, but I am just wondering the fact the shortcut begins with 9. Blah Blah if the period is throwing things off??

 

Edited April 7, 2016 by Briandr

[ViciousXUSMC]

As long as you have local admin rights you should have no issues deleting things from other users directories, I do it all the time.

Most of my production code runs as system, but I run as local admin when testing.

 

Looks like so far you have not got a  way to loop through all the user accounts and will need to do that before you can get to the shortcut for each user.

 

I personally would use _FileListToArray() on the Users folder and then loop through each users desktop/startup folder as needed.

 

[alien4u]

Hi again @Briandr

Here you have a working solution:

 

#include <File.au3>
#include <Array.au3>
#include <String.au3>

$commonpath = "\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs"

; List All System Users this should Point to your user profile folder I mean maybe C:/Users/?
$users = _FileListToArray(@ScriptDir&"\Users\")

; If you are going to delete de entire folder something like this should do the job
For $i = 1 To UBound($users) -1
    DirRemove(@ScriptDir&"\Users\"&$users[$i]&$commonpath&"\Accessories",3)
Next

Hope this finally help you to finish your task.

Kind Regards
Alien.

[Briandr]

Hi Alien,

This fell off the radar and I just looked at it again. For some reason the folder I wanted removed which is off Start->Programs, named PCSetup the code just does not seem to work. I removed my code and just included the code you graciously shared. While logged on as Administrator I ran the code and afterwards, Accessories was still present. Did you by chance test the code or a test device?

 

 

 

[rudi]

Hello,

If you want to delete a folder's content, then robocopy.exe might be your friend:

• create any new, empty folder
• run robocopy using the command line switch " /b" (Backup Mode), which makes it possible to access *ANY* folder
• (ab)use robocopy to delete the files by "mirror copying" the new, empty folder to that one, you need to get rid of its content (#requireadmin, otherwise "/b" won't be allowed) (see "robocopy /???|more" help, switch "/mir")

Regards, Rudi.

[Briandr]

Run(@ComSpec & " /c DEL c:\users\9.*.lnk /s", "", @SW_HIDE)

This works. It is amazing what a space can do a command. Plus it worked with Run as opposed to RunWait. The only thing is can I somehow manipulate this so it deletes a folder.

Run(@ComSpec & " /c RD /s /q c:\users\pcsetup* /s", "", @SW_HIDE)

Because of what I am looking to accomplish here I don't think DirRemove will work. Problem with the line directly above is pcsetup is not directly off c:\users. The first example that now works is targeting a specific file that could be spread out over sever directories under c:\users. Any ideas?

Thanks.

[alien4u]

1 hour ago, Briandr said:

Run(@ComSpec & " /c DEL c:\users\9.*.lnk /s", "", @SW_HIDE)

This works. It is amazing what a space can do a command. Plus it worked with Run as opposed to RunWait. The only thing is can I somehow manipulate this so it deletes a folder.

Run(@ComSpec & " /c RD /s /q c:\users\pcsetup* /s", "", @SW_HIDE)

Because of what I am looking to accomplish here I don't think DirRemove will work. Problem with the line directly above is pcsetup is not directly off c:\users. The first example that now works is targeting a specific file that could be spread out over sever directories under c:\users. Any ideas?

Thanks.

I don't know why solution is post number 15 does not work for you, is tested and it works...
Why do you think you cant use DirRemove?

Modify with your own path and use my solution on post #15 it will work. Add #requireadmin to your script.

Regards
Alien.